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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
I read Meet Me in Bombay as a love story, and in that vein, I really enjoyed it. It sucked me in, and I was emotionally all in, lots of tears. The dialog is sarcastic, witty, and playful. The characters are relatable, and you feel for each one of them and their own individual journeys and dilemmas. If you are looking for romance, this is a book for you.
Because there are so many negative reviews here, I will say that this is NOT a book for someone who is looking for a tale that addresses racial injustice, colonialism, or the plight of the Indian people. British-colonized India/Bombay/Mumbai is very much a backdrop in this WWI romance, and while there are a few sentences here and there that acknowledge colonialism as being wrong, they are very small mentions in the grand scheme of the story, which is really focused on the love between the two main characters - Maddy and Luke - who are British. The Indian experience in this book is fairly limited to: cuisine/restaurants, climate/weather, location/setting, local markets/shopping, and there are some Indian minor characters (who are treated courteously by the British characters). There are negative emotions in some of the British characters pertaining to Indian citizens'/soldiers' being forced to enter World War I, fighting alongside the British. In a nutshell, if you're looking for a tale that addresses the injustices of colonialism, this is not the book for you.
Because there are so many negative reviews here, I will say that this is NOT a book for someone who is looking for a tale that addresses racial injustice, colonialism, or the plight of the Indian people. British-colonized India/Bombay/Mumbai is very much a backdrop in this WWI romance, and while there are a few sentences here and there that acknowledge colonialism as being wrong, they are very small mentions in the grand scheme of the story, which is really focused on the love between the two main characters - Maddy and Luke - who are British. The Indian experience in this book is fairly limited to: cuisine/restaurants, climate/weather, location/setting, local markets/shopping, and there are some Indian minor characters (who are treated courteously by the British characters). There are negative emotions in some of the British characters pertaining to Indian citizens'/soldiers' being forced to enter World War I, fighting alongside the British. In a nutshell, if you're looking for a tale that addresses the injustices of colonialism, this is not the book for you.
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Meet Me in Bombay absolutely needs to be in your shelf for 2021. Seriously. Add it to your Goodreads now.
Meet Me in Bombay begins right before World War I begins, set in India decades before they would gain their independence from Britain. Ashcroft unfolds the life of Maddy Bright, back from Oxford after a long stint in Britain to escape the tropical fevers that plagued her in India as a child. Adjusting to her new life back in India, she meets a soldier she hasn't seen before, slowly falling for him and discovering her love of Bombay through a series of letters he sends her while away. We flip between their story and the story of a man, several years later, locked out of his own mind as he grapples to recover his lost memory. The story unfolds in a winding tale of heartbreak and dramatic irony, leaving me wanting to chuck the book halfway across my room more than once.
Contemporary literature tends to lose my attention quite quickly. I prefer the unexpectedness that magical realism, sci-fi, and fantasy bring. But Meet Me in Bombay held my attention the whole time, keeping me up until 3 am to finish it, entirely unable to put it down for a minute. I had to know what happened to Luke, to Maddy, to these characters I learned to love. It's rare that I become that invested in a straight relationship, but Ashcroft made it easy to fall in love with Maddy, with her and Luke's easy chemistry. I will admit I cried a few times, frustrated by the near-misses and heartbreak.
As with all books set in colonies, Ashcroft toes the precarious line of exotic-izing a country under oppressive British rule. Luke shows Maddy the incredible beauty of Bombay in the places where the British typically steer clear of, and there were a few mentions of Indian nationalism and unrest, and overall India was not shown in the negative light so many novels fall prey to. Nonetheless, India serves more as a backdrop to the larger story rather than feeling like a true setting. Perhaps it was the narrow life that the British lived in, only going to the "safe" restaurants and clubs in the city rather than exploring as Maddy and Luke had. The characters act very much like British citizens in India in the 20th century, but I still felt wanting more from Bombay than just mentions of the heat.
Still, this is one of my favorite books of the year. I'm sure it will fly off shelves in 2021, as it brings together the perfect blend of history, heartache, and beautiful prose. Don't fall into the trap of "oh I don't read women's lit"--take a chance on Meet Me in Bombay. It will pull at your heart, make you want to scream, and leave you closing the book with a sense of deep fulfillment and loss in turn. And I think we could all use a little love story in quarantine.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Meet Me in Bombay begins right before World War I begins, set in India decades before they would gain their independence from Britain. Ashcroft unfolds the life of Maddy Bright, back from Oxford after a long stint in Britain to escape the tropical fevers that plagued her in India as a child. Adjusting to her new life back in India, she meets a soldier she hasn't seen before, slowly falling for him and discovering her love of Bombay through a series of letters he sends her while away. We flip between their story and the story of a man, several years later, locked out of his own mind as he grapples to recover his lost memory. The story unfolds in a winding tale of heartbreak and dramatic irony, leaving me wanting to chuck the book halfway across my room more than once.
Contemporary literature tends to lose my attention quite quickly. I prefer the unexpectedness that magical realism, sci-fi, and fantasy bring. But Meet Me in Bombay held my attention the whole time, keeping me up until 3 am to finish it, entirely unable to put it down for a minute. I had to know what happened to Luke, to Maddy, to these characters I learned to love. It's rare that I become that invested in a straight relationship, but Ashcroft made it easy to fall in love with Maddy, with her and Luke's easy chemistry. I will admit I cried a few times, frustrated by the near-misses and heartbreak.
As with all books set in colonies, Ashcroft toes the precarious line of exotic-izing a country under oppressive British rule. Luke shows Maddy the incredible beauty of Bombay in the places where the British typically steer clear of, and there were a few mentions of Indian nationalism and unrest, and overall India was not shown in the negative light so many novels fall prey to. Nonetheless, India serves more as a backdrop to the larger story rather than feeling like a true setting. Perhaps it was the narrow life that the British lived in, only going to the "safe" restaurants and clubs in the city rather than exploring as Maddy and Luke had. The characters act very much like British citizens in India in the 20th century, but I still felt wanting more from Bombay than just mentions of the heat.
Still, this is one of my favorite books of the year. I'm sure it will fly off shelves in 2021, as it brings together the perfect blend of history, heartache, and beautiful prose. Don't fall into the trap of "oh I don't read women's lit"--take a chance on Meet Me in Bombay. It will pull at your heart, make you want to scream, and leave you closing the book with a sense of deep fulfillment and loss in turn. And I think we could all use a little love story in quarantine.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Historical Fiction is my favourite genre and books like this confirm to me exactly why it is. A truly vivid story that came alive on the pages. I loved the setting, discovering Bombay and thought the romance of the novel was well done. I found this a truly cosy enjoyable read and thank you so much for the chance to read in advance. An author I will keep an eye out for.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Meet me in Bombay by Jenny Ashcroft is a historical fiction romance, set in colonial Bombay during the period of 1914 and thereafter covering the major World War 1 events elaborately. This book is perfect for people who like Love at first sight or Star Crossed lovers or even if you have a thing for tragedies.
The Female MC, maddy visit her family in Bombay for short period of time from London. She longs to be back there soon. The first few days in India, all she or anyone else has to talk about was how "baking" Indian temperature is. It gets repeated over and over again to the point of annoyance (Because come on! Its a well established fact after all!)
When she runs into male MC Like, it is love at first sight for either of them and just because Luke doesn't want her to feel homesick but enjoy what Bombay has to offer, she is suddenly appreciative of the city and it's lifestyle.
Soon both of their lives get tangled and when world war 1 looms over everyone, Luke had to lead Indian Troops in Western front line. There after the whole world comes between Maddy and Luke.
This book is unbearably sad and dragging but the thing that kept me from abandoning it is the parallel timeline story set in future. It gives the glimpse of what is about to happen and only the anticipation of how the events will play out kept me going.
I must say that am rather impressed by the climax though. It was so fitting and I did not anticipate it which made this entire reading experience better in the end. Like any historical fiction, this book has done total justice telling the story of common people against the extraordinary world events. It is only because of the climax am giving it 4 ⭐
The Female MC, maddy visit her family in Bombay for short period of time from London. She longs to be back there soon. The first few days in India, all she or anyone else has to talk about was how "baking" Indian temperature is. It gets repeated over and over again to the point of annoyance (Because come on! Its a well established fact after all!)
When she runs into male MC Like, it is love at first sight for either of them and just because Luke doesn't want her to feel homesick but enjoy what Bombay has to offer, she is suddenly appreciative of the city and it's lifestyle.
Soon both of their lives get tangled and when world war 1 looms over everyone, Luke had to lead Indian Troops in Western front line. There after the whole world comes between Maddy and Luke.
This book is unbearably sad and dragging but the thing that kept me from abandoning it is the parallel timeline story set in future. It gives the glimpse of what is about to happen and only the anticipation of how the events will play out kept me going.
I must say that am rather impressed by the climax though. It was so fitting and I did not anticipate it which made this entire reading experience better in the end. Like any historical fiction, this book has done total justice telling the story of common people against the extraordinary world events. It is only because of the climax am giving it 4 ⭐
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It is a bit jarring to read a book published in 2021 in which a white author uses a foreign setting and its people to lift their white, colonial main characters in their search for love. I understand that this is a historical fiction, and that yes, Britain did occupy (well, ravage and pillage are more appropriate verbs) India during that time, and that yes, British citizens did live in villas in India and predominantly stuck to their own social circles. I understand that my distaste for the past events does not change the fact that they happened. But why does the British occupation of India and the poor treatment of the land and its citizens have to be romanticized? Why couldn’t the author set this story in another place? Or, if their story could only be set in Bombay, why couldn’t they integrate any Indian people in a positive light?
Overall, this was a pretty typical historical fiction and romance story in which lovers meet and then war and circumstance tear them apart. Did it need to be set in India? No. It could have been set in England. While the drama toward the end was certainly tense, it did not make up for some of the bigger oversights.
The Indian characters in this story are relegated to the background. The main character gawks at the people gathered at the watering hole down the hill and is warned about the men tend to disrobe, implying insidious behavior. She wanders off to a spice market and textile market, where she attempts to outsmart the local men trying sell her fabrics, implying that they are greedy and trying to take advantage of her. She talks about how the cook tries to please her with various dishes and is saddened by her not eating his cooking, which she brushes off. And when everyone gets sick at a party in the beginning of the book, they all suspect the curry puffs rather than the copious amounts of alcohol consumed. Indian people are simply portrayed as lesser in status, intellect, and civility. Here is an actual passage from the book: “Della…made her smile with a story of a Gurkha regiment who’d never seen the sea before and had tried to wash in it. ‘Apparently they couldn’t understand why their soap wouldn’t lather,’ she said, ‘or why the water made them even thirstier.’”
All of these microaggressions and implications of a savage native take place in the first third of the book. Once again, I understand that the main character’s status in her society would dictate that she spends all of her time with others in the upper echelon, who are all also white British people. But push all Indian people into a couple supporting roles and stereotypes while the white main characters romp around their country is wrong on so many levels.
So I guess the next questions are this: was this book harmful? To the extent that it romanticized the British colonization of India, yes, it definitely portrayed this historical period through rose-colored glasses. Was the harm intentional and/or malicious? I think that the author simply failed on a very basic level to show any sort of sympathy or recognition that this period of time was harmful to the country and its people. It is erasure through indifference.
I got this book from the library and hoped that it would be less problematic than anticipated. I think that the author intended this book to be a sweeping, heartbreaking romance akin to The English Patient. However, romanticizing a nation’s trauma is heartbreaking in a rather different way.
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
😠 (No stars, as rated in a face that is fucking over it.)
I was given an advanced reader copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Who’s ready for a rant about colonizer nostalgia?
Well buckle the fuck up then, friends, and let’s get into it, shall we?
This story is told in two parts. The first; pre-ww1, and the second; post-ww1. Pre-war, our two protagonists find one another in the months leading to the assassination of the archduke and are quickly torn apart as the western world plunges into war. Post war, our male lead is shell-shocked with no memory of who he is or what has happened apart from glimpses of the woman he loves (our second protagonist); glimpses that are then mirrored, explored and given context in the prior narrative.
Their story in and of itself is, frankly, lovely. The tragedy of it is visceral and, I would say, worthy of a five star rating on its own which only adds to my frustration.
Because here comes the catch.
As you may have noticed, the title of this Book is, “Meet Me in Bombay.”
These WHITE characters are not simply in Bombay on holiday. Or as ambassadors. Or even as health care providers or teachers. Why are they there? As members of the British Royal army that is organizing Indian people, having been occupied by the English, to fight in a war and for a crown that does not care about or serve them.
This is so problematic.
How very, very frustrated I feel. And mad. I am really mad.
This was not altogether a bad story. And it is magnificently well executed. The prose, the narration style, the characters. I should have loved it. I actually did, at moments.
That being said, there is no reason that it needed to take place in India except to perpetuate the nostalgia of British Imperialism and colonial rule. And that ALONE is so gross to me that it ruined my experience of the book.
Not every book needs to be anti-racist in its purpose. Books contain multitudes, of course. And were our characters in India for some other reason I probably could have gotten on board with it. Because those experiences are real and valid and I won’t ever say they shouldn’t be told. What is so troublesome, though, is that it was never even given a thought in the story. No passing comment. No musings on the hypocrisy of defending your homeland from invasion with the forced militarization of the people who were invaded by you. The hypocrisy and lack of contextual understanding is absolutely maddening.
Why could our protagonist not recruit and oversee actual BRITISH soldiers? I’ll tell you why. Because exotic backdrops are fun for white people to play with. And let’s just not think too hard about why our characters were there, please. God forbid they ever be forced to feel bad about it. To glamorize rich military families in a country that THEY took over, colonized, enslaved, robbed of its resources and whose people were then forced into military service is like glorifying slave owners; tone deaf and dripping with entrenched and unapologetic white supremacy.
Enough with the nostalgia for how things were when white people had ALL the power instead of just most of it.
If your love for India doesn’t extend to a love for the PEOPLE of India (and their lived experiences at the hands of people LIKE YOUR PROTAGONISTS) then you have no business writing a book that takes place in India.
Do.
Better.
Thank you to the Storygraph for giving me the option of giving this book NO STARS.
✨ Rep in this book: a whole lot of nothing
✨ Content warnings for this book: themes of war and violence, battle, trauma, explosions, PTSD, amnesia, medical stuff, hospital, miscarriage, death of a child, estrangement from a parent, death of a spouse, mistaken identity, war-related injuries, colonization and white supremacy in many of it's brutal and irredeemable forms
I was given an advanced reader copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Who’s ready for a rant about colonizer nostalgia?
Well buckle the fuck up then, friends, and let’s get into it, shall we?
This story is told in two parts. The first; pre-ww1, and the second; post-ww1. Pre-war, our two protagonists find one another in the months leading to the assassination of the archduke and are quickly torn apart as the western world plunges into war. Post war, our male lead is shell-shocked with no memory of who he is or what has happened apart from glimpses of the woman he loves (our second protagonist); glimpses that are then mirrored, explored and given context in the prior narrative.
Their story in and of itself is, frankly, lovely. The tragedy of it is visceral and, I would say, worthy of a five star rating on its own which only adds to my frustration.
Because here comes the catch.
As you may have noticed, the title of this Book is, “Meet Me in Bombay.”
These WHITE characters are not simply in Bombay on holiday. Or as ambassadors. Or even as health care providers or teachers. Why are they there? As members of the British Royal army that is organizing Indian people, having been occupied by the English, to fight in a war and for a crown that does not care about or serve them.
This is so problematic.
How very, very frustrated I feel. And mad. I am really mad.
This was not altogether a bad story. And it is magnificently well executed. The prose, the narration style, the characters. I should have loved it. I actually did, at moments.
That being said, there is no reason that it needed to take place in India except to perpetuate the nostalgia of British Imperialism and colonial rule. And that ALONE is so gross to me that it ruined my experience of the book.
Not every book needs to be anti-racist in its purpose. Books contain multitudes, of course. And were our characters in India for some other reason I probably could have gotten on board with it. Because those experiences are real and valid and I won’t ever say they shouldn’t be told. What is so troublesome, though, is that it was never even given a thought in the story. No passing comment. No musings on the hypocrisy of defending your homeland from invasion with the forced militarization of the people who were invaded by you. The hypocrisy and lack of contextual understanding is absolutely maddening.
Why could our protagonist not recruit and oversee actual BRITISH soldiers? I’ll tell you why. Because exotic backdrops are fun for white people to play with. And let’s just not think too hard about why our characters were there, please. God forbid they ever be forced to feel bad about it. To glamorize rich military families in a country that THEY took over, colonized, enslaved, robbed of its resources and whose people were then forced into military service is like glorifying slave owners; tone deaf and dripping with entrenched and unapologetic white supremacy.
Enough with the nostalgia for how things were when white people had ALL the power instead of just most of it.
If your love for India doesn’t extend to a love for the PEOPLE of India (and their lived experiences at the hands of people LIKE YOUR PROTAGONISTS) then you have no business writing a book that takes place in India.
Do.
Better.
Thank you to the Storygraph for giving me the option of giving this book NO STARS.
✨ Rep in this book: a whole lot of nothing
✨ Content warnings for this book: themes of war and violence, battle, trauma, explosions, PTSD, amnesia, medical stuff, hospital, miscarriage, death of a child, estrangement from a parent, death of a spouse, mistaken identity, war-related injuries, colonization and white supremacy in many of it's brutal and irredeemable forms
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Violence, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Medical trauma